"I'm excited about bringing back more mission focused use to the lodge," she said. "Using it as a visitor center, giving people an opportunity for overnight programming, being able to use the upstairs rooms again and being able to stay overnight in the building."
The process will take three years and during that time, the lodge will be partially open. While preservation architects and construction workers come and go, tourists will still be treated to food and beverage services through a food truck. Dennison hoped the lobby could reopen as a visitor center as soon as next year.
"One of the focus areas is going to be Echo Lake Park and trying to again bring some of the winter recreational activities," she said. "In the 1970s we used to do ice skating up there, so we'd love to bring that back."
Dennison also said Denver is looking at how the lodge, which is not open during winter, can be improved to support snowshoeing and cross country skiing. The lodge is not winterized, meaning it doesn't support running water in the winter. Exploring winter use is one of the tasks preservation architects have.
Dennison said Denver hopes to reopen the building for its 100-year anniversary in 2026.
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